A/N: -   HELLO!!!!!!! I can now confirm how many chapters will be in this story, as I have written it all and just have to type it up! There will be 22 chapters and, if you give me enough reviews, you may just be given a sequel. I might give you a preview of this at the end of this chapter…if you're lucky!!!! BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO REVIEW TO GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Nemo…sorry…Dory…DORY! NO!" Marlin screamed in his semi-conscious state. He heard someone swim up to him. He opened his eyes blearily. It was Gill – at least he was alive – even if he was a bit bruised and battered. Relief swept through Marlin and he pushed himself up to follow Gill to where he now was, a few feet away. Eyes widening in horror, he gazed down on his best friend.

   Dory was led on her side; in exactly the same position Marlin had seen her in on the turtles; with her three Jellyfish scars bleeding openly. She was covered in cuts and bruises and was only half-conscious – meaning she could hear them and feel their presence, but couldn't wake up…not even just to re-assure them that she was alive.

"Dory, I'm so, so sorry. I should never have let you go off on your own. I should have followed you. I'm so sorry…this is all my fault. You probably hate me now." Marlin cried softly. Inside, he wanted her to jump up and go and find the others, laughing at him for being so stupid and telling him they had been playing hide 'n' seek.

"M…Marlin?" Dory coughed weakly, "I remember you now," she smiled at him and took a deep shuddering breath.

"I know, Dory, and you're gonna be ok. I promise you that," Marlin soothed her gently. His eyes were tearful but in them was a shadow of rage, rooted so deep that nothing could unearth it…save for the satisfaction of his lust for revenge. He asked Gill what had become of Linus.

"Well," Gill started, "Linus knocked me out, but only for a few moments. I awoke to the sight of him attempting to block the cave's entrance with you two inside. I heard Dory scream and you shout. When everything went silent, I thought you were both lost. I cried out and the Anglerfish charged and banged into the boulder, knocking it out of the way. It skimmed Linus and drew blood. The predator smelt it and was on Linus' tail in seconds. Once they were out of sight, I came in here. I found you by that wall and Dory half-buried by those rocks.

"So Linus is gone?"

""Yes, he's probably dead by now. That fish was fast. But I think we should leave this place as soon as is possible after Dory wakes up."

"Hey," Marlin said, "I think that should be very soon now!"

"What makes you say that?"

"Look," Marlin gestured. Dory was pushing herself up on unsteady fins. She swam weakly to where Marlin and Gill were.

"How're you feeling?" Gill asked her.

"Ok,"

"You ok to swim?"

"Gill! She's just woken up! You can't expect her to be 'ok to swim' after what she's been through!"

"No, its ok, Marlin. Yeah, I reckon I could probably swim."

"Great! Then let's go! Unless Marlin wants to stay here, of course!"

"No, I wanna go as much as you but…"

"Yes?"

"I don't think Dory's up to it…she looks really pale."

"I'll be ok."

"Well, ok…but as soon as you feel tired, Dory, you've got to tell us, ok?"
"Yip, sure,"

    They set off and things seemed to be going pretty well. They hadn't seen anything too threatening and Dory seemed to be coping quite well, so far.

   However, by nightfall Dory was starting to feel the pain and was becoming more breathless by the minute. Marlin shot many concerned glances at his friend but she seemed determined to 'Just Keep Swimming!'

"Marlin?" Dory called. She was lagging quite far behind by now.

"Yeah?"

"I don't feel so good."

"You wanna stop for a while?"

"Uh-huh," Dory yawned.

"Hey, Gill!" Marlin called forward to Gill, who was scouting ahead.

"Yes?"

"Can we stop for a while?"

"Sure," Gill swam back to them, "you ok, Dory?"

"Mmmm…"

"Marlin, what about you?"

"I'm fine. It's Dory I'm worried about," he smiled grimly as he watched Dory flop onto the sand and fall asleep instantly. He settled a couple of feet away from her. If something went wrong, he wanted to be there to help. Gill wasn't able to sleep so he kept a watch for anything suspicious.

"Pssssst, Marlin, Dory, wake up!"

"What?"

"Marlin, wake Dory! There are humans about!"

"There are?"

"YES! Come on!"

"Dory wake up!"

"Why? How long have I been asleep?" Dory gave a huge yawn and Marlin took her fin and tried to make her move, but she wouldn't.

"Dory," Gill pleaded, "we've got to go, there are humans coming."

"W…what?" Dory stammered, but she let Marlin help her into a hiding place.

"Bob, can you see any fish?" one diver called.

"No, not yet, Gary," the other grunted.

"Shame, really."

"Oh no, wait! I've found some!" Gary was looming over the three fish companions. A camera flashed and the three fish were sent into a mad frenzy, swimming into rocks and other undersea objects. They kept on like that until the three of them bumped heads with each other. The humans had left and moved on.

"Why didn't they capture us?" Dory asked, voice slurring under the effects of the dizziness caused by the sudden light.

"I don't know," Marlin was recovering and looked utterly bewildered.

"Is everyone alright? Gill questioned them. The other two nodded their heads and set off again. They wanted to be home by the next night.

*

The next evening, Nemo and the Tank Gang were getting increasingly worried. Nemo wanted his Dad to come back but knew there was no chance of that until he found Dory. Neither would Gill, in the Tank Gang's opinion.

"Deb?" he whispered timidly.

"Heya, Nemo. What's up?"

"I'm worried. Dad isn't back yet and that means he can't have found Dory. That means Gill won't come back either and that means they could be hurt, or even dead, and I just want them all to come home."

"It's ok, Nemo. I'm sure they'll be back soon."

   And, as if on cue, the three exhausted fish returned less than five minutes later. The time had flown by and they were just about ready to drop dead on the spot. They were bustled into the Tank Gang's cave and forced to sleep. Dory protested, complaining of hunger, but eventually gave up arguing, knowing she couldn't win. The Tank Gang, and Nemo, were adamant that the three 'explorers' slept. There were a few moments silence before a voice was heard from what seemed to be nowhere.

"Where's Marlin?"

"Asleep. And who, and where, are you?"

"I'm Morris – his brother."

"MORRIS!" Marlin came hurtling out of the cave with Dory not far behind him and Gill not far behind her.

"Yippee!" Dory laughed.

"Linus arrived back this morning in an awful state. Said some Moorish Idol set an Anglerfish on him! I'm curious to meet said fish!"

"Gill! Come out here!"

"Yes?"

"Morris – Gill, Gill – Morris. Morris is my brother and Gill is the fish who got Nemo out of the dentist's in Sydney."

"Wow! Really? You are one cool fish, Gill!"

"Thanks," Gill smiled.

    Morris stayed for the night and most of the next day. They all decided to help out on Nemo's field trip. Normally, Nemo wouldn't mind but this time they were going to the drop-off again and Nemo didn't want his Dad to freak out like he had last time! The Tank Gang were also going to join the 'fun'.

    All the adults were stationed at different points and Marlin thought it would be best if he stayed near Dory as he didn't 100% trust her…but who could blame him?!?! At that particular moment in time, she was singing to herself and bobbing from side to side, a grin spread across her features. Marlin smiled and thought back on all the times she'd helped him and it lifted his spirits. He also remembered the times when he'd let her down. She had always been there for him but he wasn't always there for her when she needed him most. His train of thought was interrupted when Nemo, Tad, Sheldon and Pearl whizzed round him. They were swimming away from Jimmy in a heated game of 'Stuck in the Sand'. There was no 'home' and the five of them were beginning to tire. Dory was in hysterics and insisted on joining the game.

"Ok, Dory, you can be sticker now!" Jimmy gasped, worn out. He was a green and blue fish with a large tail. The group swam happily around while Marlin looked on in delight.

    Eventually, the games group collapsed in exhaustion and that was when the problems began. They were being sucked under the sand. Dory screamed and struggled to free herself.

    Marlin heard a faint scream and immediately headed in its direction. He found Dory and the kids being submerged by sand. He called for more help before swimming above Nemo and pulling him out. He proceeded to do the same to the others and, as he pulled Dory out, more help finally arrived. But Marlin had already freed everyone and was being thanked over and over again.

"Marlin?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Look over there!" Dory was trembling. He had seen that look before. It was her scared look. She looked like she was about to cry. She looked absolutely petrified – and it didn't take a genius to see why…………

A/N: -    That's gotta be one of my longer chapters! Well, here's the preview of my sequel: -

"I hate you! You're risking everything all over again. And a friend whose willing to risk everything that's precious to him for his own happiness isn't worth being friends with!"

"Where are you going?"

"As far away as possible!!!!"